Russell Okung has been cleared to play, which is good news for a Seahawks offensive line that will start two rookies. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Russell Okung has been cleared to play, which is good news for a Seahawks offensive line that will start two rookies. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

Image 2 of 10

Breno Giacomini will most likely start at right tackle. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Breno Giacomini will most likely start at right tackle. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

Image 3 of 10

James Carpenter could start at left guard if Robert Gallery doesn't play. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

James Carpenter could start at left guard if Robert Gallery doesn't play. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

Image 4 of 10

Jim Harbaugh and his 49ers team are both unknowns heading into the season. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Jim Harbaugh and his 49ers team are both unknowns heading into the season. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Photo: Donald Miralle / Getty Images

Image 5 of 10

Image 6 of 10

Shutting down frank Gore will be one of Seattle's top priorities. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Shutting down frank Gore will be one of Seattle's top priorities. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Image 7 of 10

K.J. Wright could start in place of David Hawthorne at middle linebacker on Sunday. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

K.J. Wright could start in place of David Hawthorne at middle linebacker on Sunday. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

Image 8 of 10

Alex Smith torched the Seahawks in the teams' last meeting in December. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Alex Smith torched the Seahawks in the teams' last meeting in December. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Image 9 of 10

The time has come for Tarvaris Jackson to prove himself a worthy quarterback for the Seahawks. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The time has come for Tarvaris Jackson to prove himself a worthy quarterback for the Seahawks. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

Image 10 of 10

Seahawks at 49ers: 5 things to watch

1 / 10

Back to Gallery

1. Breno, James and the O-line shuffle

Want to hear something a tad unsettling? Seahawks center Max Unger, he of 17 career NFL starts, will be the most experienced player on the team’s starting offensive line Sunday.

That’s the most likely scenario, anyway. Starting left guard Robert Gallery is listed as doubtful to play, with coach Pete Carroll leaving only a very slight chance that Gallery may wake up healthy enough to go on Sunday.

Carroll was also non-committal when asked whether James Carpenter would start at left guard in Gallery’s place. But that seems the most likely option, as Carpenter spent time working at that position this week and the Seahawks appear comfortable enough with Breno Giacomini to start him at right tackle.

Giacomini, by the way, has never started a game in the NFL. And he’s played in just one. Meaning not only will the Seahawks be playing with a rearranged offensive line, they’ll be playing with five guys who have started a total of 27 career games. Starting left tackle Russell Okung – who has been cleared to play after missing much of the preseason with a sprained ankle – is the other elder statesman with a whole 10 career starts.

At least they have a “veteran” on the left side of the line to help out Carpenter, the team’s anointed starting right tackle who has made a swift transition to the other side of the line the last week in practice.

“It’s just new, and Russell needs to help him out,” Carroll said. “In this case, Russell’s the seasoned veteran so they’re going to get a lot better. They’re going to improve a ton in time. We’ve got to start somewhere and here we go.”

They better hope. As disjointed as the Seahawks offense looked in the preseason, it’s probably a safe bet to assume that they’ll try to pound the 49ers on the ground. Because it would be asking a lot of the young offensive line to be relied upon for consistent pass protection.

Starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was sacked seven times in four preseason games. The Seahawks didn’t run the ball particularly well, either. And against a 49ers defense that expects to blitz, blitz and blitz some more, that could be an area of particular concern.

Very particular concern. Just not for Carroll.

“It is what it is. There’s no reason to spend any time on it,” Carroll said, asked about the youth of his starting offensive line. “Even though Max has been around a long time, he hasn’t played a lot of football. So we’re just young. That’s just what it is. I’m thrilled about that. One look at it –these guys can go out here and play NFL football this early and if we can hold up and start growing, we’re going to get way better. So it’s exciting and we’re hoping right now they’re going to go out and play a good football game and give us a chance to win. And I won’t be surprised if they do. Obviously, we have to be cognizant of their background and the time that they’ve spent with us. We have to take care of them some. So we’re doing all of that. Hopefully it’ll work out.”

Jackson sounds as if he at least has some confidence that the line is improving.

“We’re more on the same page,” Jackson said. “We make sure that we communicate a lot better. That’s kind of helped a lot in making sure everybody knows we’re going the same direction.”

Who knows? Maybe Carpenter will prove more adept playing on the left side, where he spent his college career, and the Seahawks will be able to run the ball more effectively to that side.

“I’m more comfortable on the left,” Carpenter said. “I’m just going to do my job, what I have to do to help my team.”

2. Adjustments, adjustments, adjustments

The only thing the Seahawks seem to know about the schemes San Francisco will use Sunday is that they don’t know which schemes San Francisco will use Sunday.

That means that Seattle’s ability to learn on the fly is going to be a big factor in whether they win this game.

The Seahawks have spent the week reviewing film of San Francisco’s preseason games, though it’s common knowledge that teams aren’t going to show their entire arsenal in games that don’t count. And Seattle has also looked at film of Jim Harbaugh’s Stanford team last season, though it remains unknown how many of the same principles Harbaugh will apply in the NFL.

So the Seahawks are going to have to wait and see what San Francisco throws – or runs – at them on Sunday. How they react will be crucial.

“Whenever you’re playing a first-time opponent, you’re going to learn a lot in the first quarter and try to figure out what they’re trying to do,” Carroll said. “And they could come out at us in numbers of different ways. We’ll have to find out. Therefore we will have to adjust and halftime will be a big deal to us. More so than most games we’ll play, just because they’re brand new.”

3. Alex Smith, Seahawk killer

A fun stat for you, pointed out in the media room the other day by John Boyle of the Everett Herald: Alex Smith’s passer rating of 130.9 in San Francisco’s 40-21 win over Seattle last December was the highest of his career.

Smith was 17-for-27 passing for 255 yards and three touchdowns in that game, overcoming early boos from his home crowd to lead the 49ers to a lopsided win.

The Seahawks would prefer a different ending this time.

“We let him get going a little bit,” Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “We didn’t disrupt him and he got on rhythm unlike the first game. So you’ve seen in preseason, he’s a good quarterback if he’s got time so it’s going to be important for us to disrupt him.”

Defensive end Chris Clemons, who sat out practice Thursday and Friday with a tweaked ankle, is listed as probable to play. He was the team’s top pass rusher last season, and if he’s healthy, Clemons can provide the kind of early pressure that could force Smith into some mistakes.

Putting the game in Smith’s hands should also be one of Seattle’s goals, right behind stopping Frank Gore and the 49ers rushing game.

“We believe they’re a team that’s going to try to run the ball,” Bradley said. “I mean, they’ve been effective. They had over 200 yards rushing against Oakland. So we know that’s what they want to do. When opportune times come for us to put pressure on them, if it’s not a four-man rush, we’ve got to take advantage of those.”

4. K.J.’s time to shine

Middle linebacker David Hawthorne is expected to play Sunday. But it doesn’t sound as if he’s expected to start.

That means rookie K.J. Wright will likely start in his place. And the Seahawks don’t appear the last bit nervous about it.

“He’s been ahead of the curve for a rook coming in and particularly the kind of play calling position that he’s in,” Carroll said. “We didn’t know that he was going to be that sharp. He surprised us in that. He’s played beyond what you would expect a first year starter in a situation like he’s in.”

Seattle didn’t envision Wright as a middle linebacker when they drafted him in the fourth round this season. But the rookie out of Mississippi State has shown the kind of dedication that makes Carroll and Co. more than confident in sticking him out there as the starter in his first NFL game.

“I think right away we were thinking maybe he’d be more of an outside-type linebacker – ‘Sam’ like what Aaron Curry plays,” Bradley said. “But credit to coach (Ken) Norton and K.J. They wanted to try inside so we let it happen. It started off slow but that first preseason game, I think he proved to us that he’s got a chance to play there and then every game he just got better.”

5. Tarvaris’ new beginning

Full disclosure: I don’t think fans have been fair to Tarvaris Jackson. As Mike Williams said earlier this week, the guy has taken a ton of flak from many people who have never even seen him play a regular season game. His performances in the preseason were underwhelming, but we all know how limited the pass protection was and how limited Jackson’s opportunities were to showcase his skill set.

All that said, it’s the regular season now. And it’s time for Jackson to prove he can be the Seahawks’ starting quarterback this season.

Here’s why Sunday could be different: both Carroll and offensive line coach Tom Cable were very up-front about the fact that they were doing little to help their offensive line in the first couple of preseason games, meaning they weren’t switching up the calls or changing protections as often as they would in a regular season game.

Since that’s where we’re at now, it’s logical to think the Seahawks will throw some protection packages out there that we haven’t seen yet. They’ll do everything they can to assist a young offensive line that will likely feature three first-time starters. Meaning they’ll do everything they can to help Jackson, too.

He was more effective in the team’s final preseason game against Oakland, largely because he had more time to throw.

Regardless of whether that trend continues – and regardless of whether it’s fair – the onus for the offense’s success the rest of the way will fall on Jackson.

“I’m very comfortable with him and what he’s done up to this point in training camp,” said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. “There’s a lot of factors that go on outside of what he’s doing, but he’s been consistent, he’s been a professional, he’s learned it, he’s working with the other guys and I think it speaks volumes that his teammates chose him as a captain. So I think it’s going well for him.”